Hi, it's me Christy!! Well I got 2 future orders for Quinceanera cakes!!!!!!
This is after I showed up with my mini doll cakes for my sisters Quince. this past weekend..
One of the Quinceaneras is in 4 months.. Here is my story: long story
I am not sure if Diane is trying to get me to go cheap or what, this is my step mothers sister Diane. Diane's daughter is having the Quince in a few months.. Anyway, Diane says she paid 1.00 a slice for the cake at my sisters Quince.. And let me tell you it was horrible!!!!!!! When I went to cut it, it crumbled like corn bread. I don't have any idea what would have made a cake crumble like that... We had to cut the slices big so that it would hold it's form.. The icing was whipped cream icing, I am not saying this just be a cake critic.. But the icing tasted like you had a big spoon full of paste with a tab of sugar in it.. I have no idea what she used.. but it was not tasty..
So after that disaster she wants me to make the cakes.. But 1.00 a slice?
The photo below is the picture of the cake.. It was to feed 250 people.. It fed maybe half due to the way we had to cut it.. Was 250.00 about right for this cake??? My Question is do I charge by slice???
All I have to do is make the cakes, it needs to feed 250 - 300 people.. I will be making 5 cakes total.. 16, 14, 12, 10 and 8.. According to the serving chart here on CCC this will feed approx. 296 people..

I won't have to do any kind of set up.. As far as decorating table or even using my cake supplies.. She is renting a pumpkin carriage cake stand and it holds 5 cakes.. Has anyone seen this cake stand?????? If so what sizes does it hold.. All Diane remembers is that the biggest size is 16".
The cakes will be all BC icing and BC filling.. French Vanilla cake mix
with a cake extender added and dyed pink, blue, green, and yellow. With a simple border on top, ruffle border on bottom, some fake flowers on top of each cake and a big doll cake to look like Cinderella.
Oh and some glitter sprinkles.. What should I charge??? Help!!!!!!!! TIA!

Ok I wrote this and then tried to post the pic of the cake.. It says it's to big.. Anyone know how I can make it fit?????

To be honest I have seen your work and all those cakes are well worth more than 1.00 a slice. Personally I think I would be charging way more because your stacking and filling, dying, etc. I would consider 1.50-2.00 a slice and if she wants to pay a dollar a slice maybe scale it down a tad bit. Just my opionion! Family always wants a deal...Dang

No matter what, $1.00 a slice is pretty cheap for cakes of that level. Just tell her you'll make her a giant sheet cake with whipped cream icing for $1.00 a slice!
I would just tell her that your cakes would be far better than what they had before. I don't how comfortable you are with her or if she's had your cakes before but I would tell her the other was horrible compared to yours!
This is a more complicated situation b/c it's family---that's always hard
Good luck and don't back down!

LOL I know!!! Here is the pic of the "Other Cake" who charged 1.00 a slice.. along with my doll cakes...
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8SYtmrZy2YQw
You can't see it, but it was decorated with a bunch of squiggly lines on the top and a string a pearls around it with a ruffle border...oh and a porcelian doll on top..

I can't tell much of the detail from the pics but the TASTE matters more than anything!!! People may rave about a cake when they first see it but the taste is what keeps them talking! Even if it looked decent, since the taste was horrible that's what matters!
Have you thought about making her a practice cake of some sort?! Maybe a way to convince her?

Okay now with the stand and all that jazz you really need to be charging more than 1.00 a slice. I suggest you give other suggestion on what 1.00 a slice consist of or charge more for your work. Good Luck and I agree don't back down. Bet she won't find anyone better or cheaper to do it.

Good Luck

I think a dollar a slice is too cheap. Your oven will be running all day making all those cakes, measuring appropriate batter for each pan, and of course, using each pan twice to make two layers! I wouldn't venture to tell you how to price it. It is out of my league. I have only done two wedding cakes. The first one I did a dollar a slice. The second I did 1.75 a slice (which was more resonable, but it was a three tier cake and the other was five tiers.)

The cake stand peaked my curiosity. I found what it might be at this web page: http://www.wedding-candles.ca/store/display.asp?page=5576

There's a carriage cake stand and there's a pumpkin cake stand. The stands alone are upwards of $400!

The pumpkin is like a cage. The dimensions are 28? H x 24? W with a plate diameter of 19?. I don't see how you could put several cakes on it, only one tiered cake that doesn't go above 28 inches!

Good luck with this one. I'll be watching this post!

..your pic should be there now briansbaker!

BTW...don't sell your self short briansbaker!! I just know you will put your whole heart and soul into this cake.....and that, my friend, should come with a price!!

Girl tell your sister that you are doing all the hard work. And if she wants it to be a 1.00 a slice then to buy all of the ingredients. Then charge her 1.00 a slice..

Hi Christy!

Well--I think that by charging $1 per slice, you are DEFINATELY selling yourself short--even if it IS a "friends and family" discount deal. Seriously--you need to make a trip to the store with a list of ALL your ingredients and figure out what your food costs are per cake mix. Then you come up with your price--AFTER you know what you have to spend. If you don't do this, you are really shooting in the dark as to what you should charge.

Typically, I start my stacked/tiered cakes at $2.10 per slice and that IS the friends and family discount!! If there are "extras", mega decorating, difficult decorating. premium cakes or fillings, then the price goes up accordingly.

One thing I will NEVER do again is charge "per cake" for a stacked or tiered cake. There is MUCH more work and support involved in these types of cakes as opposed to a regular cake.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

Lisa

I took a picture last night of the pumpkin carriage cake holder. It rents for 55.00.. It is very very nice! It holds up to 5 - 16" round cakes.. One on each tire, one in the center of the carriage and one on top of the carriage.. Or you can place a doll or a fountain in the center of the carriage to replace one of the cakes.. Also I can change the flowers to match the theme.. It will have lights and white mesh on it..

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8SYtmrZy2YR0¬ag=1

I tried looking up the pricing matrix for you (and me too-I lost my computer in the flood-sniff) but when I tried to download it from this link:

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=5711&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=pricing&&start=0

it said it didn't exist. So can anyone help with this or if you have it can we get it please?? My e-mail is [email protected]

I really thought it was a useful tool to help determine pricing of big cakes like a quine and it gives you something concrete to tell the family members when they question your prices!!
Thanks for the help!
dori